Medvedev called for lowering the level of diplomatic relations with EU countries

After the EU ambassadors refused to meet with Lavrov, the level of diplomatic relations with European countries should be lowered, Medvedev said . The EU Permanent Mission explained to RBC the refusal of the meeting by the lack of a clear agenda and low level of trust Dmitry Medvedev

After the EU ambassadors refused to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the level of diplomatic relations should be reduced, said Deputy HEAD of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev in his English-language account on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

“The EU ambassadors to RUSSIA refused to meet with the Russian Foreign Minister. Allegedly on the advice of Brussels. This contradicts the very idea of ​​the existence of diplomatic missions and the appointment of ambassadors. In fact, all these ambassadors should be expelled from Russia, and the level of diplomatic relations with the countries of the European Union should be lowered,” he wrote.

Lavrov said on March 4 that EU ambassadors “a week and a half ago” were invited to a meeting regarding the presidential elections in Russia. According to him, the Foreign Ministry collected information about what “intervention mechanisms” European embassies are going to use in them and how they intend to support non-systemic oppositionists; Lavrov planned to advise “not to do this.” However, the ambassadors “two days before the scheduled event <...> sent a note: we decided not to go.”

The Permanent Mission of the European Union explained to RBC the refusal to meet with the Russian minister by the lack of a clear agenda and an “extremely low level of trust” in the context of public statements in 2022 that Russia will not send troops to Ukraine. “We were invited to discuss relations between the EU and Russia, but now Minister Lavrov says that it was about lecturing us. This proves that we were right in rejecting the invitation,” the permanent mission added.

After the start of the special operation in Ukraine , European countries and Russia began to mutually reduce their diplomatic presence, hundreds of diplomats were expelled, and many diplomatic consulates suspended work. In addition, last winter, Moscow decided to lower the level of diplomatic relations with Estonia and expelled the country's ambassador.

Ukraine announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia on February 22, 2024 , after President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s recognition of the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics. Subsequently, Micronesia also severed diplomatic relations with Russia.